Email Tips: 5 Ways to Get Successful Professionals to Respond

So you’ve been contacting that industry VIP about job openings, client proposals or internship opportunities, but to no avail. Well, your failure might have something to do with your approach. Many professionals who hold positions of power have busy days and an email inbox full of thousands of requests that look like yours. Don’t take it personal. Switch your game up with these tips:

1. Be brief. You’re busy. You work hard, you create side projects, you hustle for new connections and you cram room in for a social life. (Damn, take a break!)

Successful people live even busier lives. A long email is like the stranger who reveals their life story five minutes after you shake their hand. Ain’t nobody got time for that! Short messages decrease the chance your contact drags your email into their trash folder.

2. Keep it genuine.

“Hello friend. I have a special secret that has saved me $10 million…â€

Next! Automatic delete.

It’s an extreme but too common real-life example. Stop writing emails that reek of dishonesty. Don’t underestimate how deeply people crave authentic connections. Successful people develop a B.S. detector after constantly having others compete for their time and attention. When you hide your true intentions, beep, beep, beep!–their B.S detector explodes.

If you want something, make it clear. If you have a great idea, share it. Most importantly, be upfront about why you are sending the email and why your message is great for the person receiving it. This will establish trust, which is the foundation for all positive relationships.